Grading machine



Oct. 2, 1928.

L.. A. coGsWELL GRADING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 18, 1927 L.' A. COGSWELL GRADING MACHINE Uct. 2, 1928. 1,686,487

Filed March 18, y1927 5 sheets-sheet 4 70er. 2, 192s. @6,487

L. A. COGSWELL GRADING MACHINE Filed March 18, 1927 5 sheeis-sheet 5 j 48 I '44 66 l f' 68 Q TI" 45 69% l L- I 75, :l t9/ 77 76 if@ @gf t i. I l .L I .l l E j l 1 jeverw `ing them.

Patented @et 19258.,

rrr i- LEANDER A. COGSWELL, F MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHRE, .ASSGNOR T0 LACENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, -OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORA- TION 0F MAINE.

GRADING MACHINE.

Application led March 18, 1927. Serial No. 176,415.

United States No. 1,582,140, issued April 27,

1926, to Lacene Manufacturing Company upon the invention of Elmer Nichols. The present machine, like said Nichols machine, is designed merely to grade blanks by means of a pointer or indicator, `'which shows the grade of the several blanks as they pass successively through the machine, without skiving or evening, marking or sort- In said inserted into the machine one by one by hand, and after their grade was determined they were removed from the machine by hand and then distributed'. The principal object of the present invention is to provide feeding mechanism which is automatically operated to feed in a Vnew blank from a magazine containing ungraded blanks when theoperator removes a graded blank from v the machine. The feeding mechanism is normally idle and is actuated only when the operator removes the graded'blank so that the timing of the feeding in of the new blank, as well as the restoration of the indicator to a condition in which it is ready to respond to a new blank, is wholly under the control of the operator. This allows the operator a greater or less lamount of time as he may require for observing and read-- ing the indicated grade of a graded blank before the indicator is disturbed and another blank is fed in; but it also increases the ease andspeed of operation lin that when the operator has removed a graded lblank and while he is engaged indistributing or disposing of the'same, another blank' is auto-I matically being fed into the machine without attention on his part. AOther novel'fea- '-tures'will appear as the description proceeds. v l

In the accompanying drawings :V Fig. 1 isa plan viewV of my improved grading machine; Y

Nichols machine the blanks were scale of a portion of the machine shown in 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4vof Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a partial Asection on line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and A I Fig. 6 is a section'on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents' the main shaft of the machine Which is also the shaft of the'upper, fixed detecting roll 2. The shaft 1 has loosely mounted on it a sprocket wheel 3 ig. 4) at each side of .which is a fiber washer 4, said'shaft being threaded to receivefupon it two nuts 5 by means of which the sprocket wheel 3 is clamped firmly between the two fiber washers 4, 4 and thereby frictionally connected with the shaft 1.

flhe shaft 1 also has looselyV mounted on 1t a worm gear 6 continuously driven by a worm 7 fast on the armature shaft 8 of a motor 9, said motor being mounted uponv a bracket 10 projecting from the side of the frame of the machine. the hub of worm gear 6 is formed withI radial sockets to receive radial tongues 11 provided upon a collar 12 mounted upon the shaft 1 (Figs. 1 and 4). The inner end of The inner end of this collar 12 is formed with one or more notches 13 occupied by the end, or ends, of a pin 14 extending through the shaft 1. In this way the worm gear 6 is locked to the collar 12 and the collar 12 is locked to theshaft 1 so that normally all three of these parts are continuously rotated by the motor 9.Y AThe notch 13 is stepped softhat by shifting the pin 14 angularly therein the. collar 12 'can be slid on shaft 1 away from the hub of worm gear 6 touncou )le shaft 1 from said gear when it is desire to turnthe machine over by hand. The machine'is turned over by hand by first uncoupling the gear 6 from the shaft as described and then applying a wrench or other tool tothe squared outer chine is in operation.

The soles, taps or other blanks which are or magazine H, (Fig. 3) from which "they z Y to be graded arevstacked within a hopper Fig, 2 is la side elevation onV an enlarged.

to the as to rock on a transverse axis. This provides a universal joint at the rear end of each arm 18 to accommodate the necessary up and down independent feeling orv detecting movements of the opposite ends of the lower roll., 17 in response to the unevenness of the blanks as they pass between the detecting rolls.

Connecting the forward ends of the arms 18 is a cross bar 22 ig. 4) pressed strongly upward by two bell crank levers .23 fulcrumed at 24 on the frame of the machine and having their depending arms connected by a spring 25 which is normally under stress. Y

Each arm 18 has connected to its forward end the upperend of ay rod 26 which extends either rod 26 to move vertically independ- A downwardly between a pair of lugs 26 projecting from the adjacent side of the frame of the machine. Adjustably secured to the lower end of each rod 26, by means of nuts 27, is an inwardly projecting bracket,` arm 28, and to the inner ends of these two arms, which are bifurcated, are pivotally co nected, at 29,- the opposite ends of a cross bar 30. The pivotal connections between the cross bar 30 and bracket arms 28 permit ently of the other in response to tilting movements of. the lower detecting roll 17. To limit the upward movements of the rods 26 the latter are provided with nuts 31 andywashers 32 to engage the under sides of the lugs 26 on the frame of the machine.l

Resting on the cross'bar 30 are the rear ends of arms 33 fixed to, and projecting rearwardly from, a rock shaft 34 journaledl near its ends in bearings on the frame of the machine. At one side of the machine (Figs. 2 and 4) the rock shaft 34 extends outside of the frame and has fastened therei to a relativelyv long arm 35 whose rear end is formed with a vertical hole through which extends the lower end of a rod 36, said rod being provided, immediately below the arm 35, with a head 37 which is yieldingly held against said arm by a spring 38 mounted on rod 36, the upper end of said spring 'bearing against an abutment collar 39 adjustably secured to the rod 36.

The upper end of the rod 36 is pivotally.

connected at 40 to agear segment 41, pivoted at 42 on the frame of the machine.- This segment 41 meshes directly with a pinion on whose shaft 44 is fixed a pointer 45 in bearings on the frame of the machine so A pawls 49 and 50, bothplvoted at 51 on the.

frame of the machine. A spring 52 yieldingly urges the paWl 49 towards its ratchetv wheel 37, and a spring 53 (Fig. 1) yieldingly urges the pawl 56 towards its ratchet wheel 48. Pawl49 is in the form of a bell crank lever and carries a laterally projecting pin 54 cooperating with an arm 55 fast on a rock shaft 56, journaled at its ends in bearings on the frame of the machine. i

Near its middle, this rock shaft 56 is provided with a rearwardly extending horizontal arm 57 disposedA above the table 58 upon Awhich the soles or other blanks are delivered by the detecting rolls. The arm 57 has adjustably secured to it a depending bracket 59 (Figs. 2 and 3) carrying at its lower end a trip in the form of a narrow roll 60 which rests in a channel or groove 61 formed in a. narrow, elevated rnnwayor. work support 62 provided upon the top side of table 58 and extending rearwardly from the detecting rolls 2 and 17. The table 58 isvhorizontal but the narrow, grooved runway`62 increases in height progressively and uniformly from the detecting rolls rearwardly. The bottom of the groove 61 is also horizontal and parallel with 'arm 57, so that it will be clear that the bracket arm 59 may be adjusted longitudinally of the arm 57 without disturbing the position of the latter, or I of the arm 55 on the rock shaft 56. As a.v sole or other blank leaves the detecting rolls 2 and 17 it passes up the runway` .62 and underneath the roll 6() thereby raising the:

latter. The purpose of the inclined grooved..` runway and the progressively increasing depth of channel 61 is to provide for substantially the same angular movement of the arm 57, by a sole 'or` other .blank of given thickness, no matter where the bracket 59 and roll 60 may be positioned. on the said arm 57 with relation to rock shaft 56.

The passage'of the advance end 'of a sole or other blank under trip roll 60 results in locking pointer 45 so that it can not thereafter be operated to indicate a thicker spot in the blank, but can only move toward the left (Fig. 5) -in a direction to indicatev the measurement of a thinner spot in the blank being graded. Until the forward end of the blank has reached and lifted the trip roll 60, the indicating mechanism does not usefully preserve any of the grade measurements, but after the leading end of the piece of stock has reached and raised the roll 60, all'that portion of the blank which thereafter passesbetween the detecting rolls 2 and 17, is graded Lesage? .but only withreferenc'e to the thinnest p ortion encountered by the detecting r'olls. That is, after the forward end of the lblank raises the trip roll 60, thereby engaging the. pawl 49 with its ratchet, the pointer 45 can.-

be moved by the detecting rolls only in a di rectionto indicate the thickness of portions of the blank that are thinner than the portion between the detecting..

occupying'a position rolls at the moment that the pawl- '49 was moved into engagement with its ratchet wheel 47. By adjusting the trip 60 on arm 57 the machine may be caused to grade only a particular or selected `portion of the blank, for example, the forepart tof a sole vto the exclusion of the heel part, thesole being fed to the detecting rolls heel end first. Hence, by setting the bracket 59 and trip 60 at a distance, from the detecting rolls corresponding` to the length of the 'heel and shank portions not be graded but the -rest ofthe sole will be gravity upon 'disposed vwith relation l lcrank 68 fulcrumed at 69 o'n the frame'of the preceding fend of the blank it'is immediately -between the detecting rolls.

wheel 48, thus allowing the spring graded.

The bottom of the hopper His formed by the shelf or table 63 fastened to the machine frameand extending up close to the detecting rolls. immediately in front of tlie detecting 64 mounted to 'slide freely in a bearing provided on a -fixed 'part of the frame, the lowerend of thisA feeler @64. resting byv i the top of the table. 63 in the'path of the blanks as, they are fed toward the detecting rolls. The upper end wlth a double yoke fulcrumed at 67 on 'a ixedpart of the frame and havingits op osite end cooperativelyl to one arm of abe'll the machine (Figs. 2, 4-L'and 5), the 'other larm of this bell/crank being'connected by ai link 7 Q with the upper end of the pawl 50 (Fig. 5). When a` blank is,automatically fed forward from the hopper H, Aas hereinafter described,the trip 64 is automatically lifted to permit the passage of the forward under the trip,4 whereupon top ofthe blank while the' latter is passing When -thus lifted by the forward feeding motion of the feed mechanism, thel trip l64 'acts' through yoke 65, lever-66, bell crank 68. and link 70 to disengage' the pawl 50 from its ratchet 38- -to restore the pointer 45 to zero position, being no blank under trip 60. Itjwill be understood that when the trip 64 is thus, ai blank tothe detecting rolls,

lifted to admit blank has passed beyond the and therefore the lower 'de-- tecting roll 17 occupies its position of closest approach to the upper detecting roll .2 where itis held by theheavy spring 25. It will detecting rolls,

towards the cross bar 30. `'lhis 1spring ofthe sole, those parts will said trip 6'4 rolls is a vertically movable trip wheel does not occur, however,

its ratchet wheel 47.

dropped. so as to rest on there lifted the arm 35 through its connectionswith the arms 18, will be held in an elevated position away from head 87 withispring`=38 under compression because of the engagement ofpawl 50, with its ratchet wheel. Consequently, when latch 50 isjmoved out of ,engagement with its ratchet wheel, as described, spring 38 will restore the pointer 45 to'its zero position. 1,

'Aj-relatively light spring 7l (Fig. 2) having its upper and connected with the.Y frame of the-machine and its lower end with the arm B5, yielding'ly 4urges the two arm's le however, is dominated by the heavy' spring 25.` Y i Througlionlt the time `vthat the blank is passing under the trip 64 the latch'() is held in its inoperative position but as soon as the blank passes beyond the trip-G4 at the end operations, falls and acts through the conof the Adetecting and .indicating nections described to return the pawl50 into engagement with its ratchet wheel 48, thereby locking the pointer 45 against thereafter tow-ard" zero position. This reengagement of pawl 50 with its ratchet until after nearlyall of the' blank has passed between the detectingv rolls. 'At' some` time prior to this,'for-example, when the detecting rolls reachthe junetion of the forepart with the heel 'or shank 'portion of the sole, the advanceend of'thesole lifts the trip 60 therebyelfecting the `engageniient of pawl 49 with detecting rolls are 'traversing the forepart of FThereafter, while the 1 the sole, the pawl 49 v'is in engagement with l its ratchet wheel while the pawl 50 is held out of engagementwith its ratchet wheel "48. Consequently, while traversing the 'forepart of thesole the detecting rolls can operate the pointer 45 only reduction in thethiclmess thereof, or a thickness that is' less than that ofthe yin adirectionto indicate a A part of the sole that was between the detecting Yrolls at :the moment the latch 49 was, moved V.into en- I As soon gagement with its ratchet wheel..

the trip as the rear end of the blank passes 64 thelatter drops upon the table 63, which vresults in the reengagement of pawl 50 with' its ratchet wheel 48.- VThis locks'the pointer 45 against movement in either 4direction and it remains thuslocked to indicate thefthickness ofthe thinnest portion detected by the 17, until the blank isremoved by the operator from'beneaththe lower detecting jroll triproll 60. Y y The sprocket wheel 3'mounted`up`on and frictionallyA connected with 'the shaft .1, is'

connectedA by a sprocket chain 72 with a sprocket wheel 7 3,- (Figs. 2 and 6) the-latter being loosely mounted uponthe outer end of arelativ'ely` hort' shaft 74 journaled in ,a

movement bearing'bracket 75 .formingv part of the il' frame of the machine.' This sprocket wheel 73 is rotatably supported'by the 'shaft 74 be- Atween a shoulder 76 and awasher 77, vthe inner face of said sprocket wheel being made machine. A spring 84 (Fig. 2) yieldingly urges said cam arm toward the 4clutch mem' .ber 79 so that normally said cam arm is held against an adjustable stop screw 85. In the drawings the c arn arm 82 is shownAin its uppermost position where, by engagement with the stud 81, it serves to hold the clutch member 79 out of engagementewith the clutch face 78 of the sprocket 73, against the pressure of spring 80.

f Atits right hand end (Fig. 2) the cam arm 82 is provided with an' eye or loop 86 embracing the lower end of a push bar 87 having a shoulder 88 to cooperate with a shoulder 89 provided at the end of cam arm ,82.- At its upper end the'push bar/87 is piv.-A otally connected. to an arm 90 fast on rock shaft 56.- It will be clear, therefore, that when the advance end of the blank raises the trip and arm 57 to effect the engagement.)v of late-h 49 with its ratchet wheel 47, the

- pushfbar 87 is also lifted, carrying' the shoulder 88fabove the shoulder 89,` whereupon gravity^ will cause the push bar to swing 'sidewlse carrying the shoulder 88 into position directly above the shoulder 8 9..-

When the' operator removes the blank from under trip 6() for Idistribution, the'trip 60 fallsb'ygravity, andfthrough theengage# ment'of the shoulder 88 'with the shoulder 89 the push bar 87, carried downwardly by 'the' movement thusl given t9 rock shaft 56,

- depresses the` cam arm l82 below pin 81 a1- 'driven .through the chain 72 by the 'sprocketlowing the spring 80 .toshift the clutch v,member 79 which is splined on shaft-74, into engagement with the clutch face of ,sprocket Since the sprocket 73 is continuously.'

Y3, the-engagement of the clutch member 79 with'the sprocketn'vl will resultv in rotation 'of clutch member'Q-'Sand shaft 74 in the di- `recti'on of the arrow (Fig. 2),A When the rides against the side of the cam arm 82. `103 and 104.130 each of whichsadjustably clutch member 79 has made about two third "of one revolution the stud or pin 81jenga an arm 91 on ush bar 87 -and kicks 'said pushbar out o engagement with the cam` arm 82, whereupon spring'84 raises said cam arm into the path ofpin 81 so that as 'the. latter `completes one revolution, said pin'.

nece,

rwhich, 'through its engagement with studv 8 1, acts to push the clutch member 79 out' of engagement with the lclutch face 78 of'l sprocket 3. Thus the removal for distribution of agraded blank by the operator automatically effects one revolution of the shaft V74. This causes another blank to be fed into the machine, as will now be described. i At' its inner end the -shaft- 74 hasfast to it an arm 92 connectedby a link 93 with a feed carriage or slide 94 slidably mounted in 'ways 95 provided on the table 63. The

feed slide has a feeding tooth or'dog 96 pro- I jecting upwardly through aslot 97 provided in said table. It follows, therefore, that one revolution the'feed slide 94 is reciprosi) when the shaft 74 is rotated to the extent-of i' cated and as it is moved toward the detecting rolls 2 and .17 is carries with `it the'lowermost sole or fblank'in the Amagazine H. At the beginning of this revolution ofshaft 74 a member .97 .secured to the link 93 engages the free vend of lever 98, fulcrumed at 99 on 'the frame of the machinef- The voppositeendfof lever 98 is connected by a vlink 100 with a lever .101, one end ofwhich is fulcrumed at 102 on the frame 'of the machine and the other end of which is embraced by v the double yoke 65` at the upper end oftrip 64. The'depression of lever 98 by member 97- operates through the connections described to raise the trip 64- so as to admit-the blank thereunder and at'the same time to actuate lever 66, bell crank 68 and link 70, to dis.

engagepawl 50 from its ratchet wheel 48, thus allowing the sprin 38 to returnthe pointer 45 to its zero position (from the position to which it was moved by the p receding sole or the like) .preparatory to grad? ing the blank being fed forward by the feed The l .usual upwardly pressed dtent 103 is provided immediately "in front of the detecting rolls 2 and 17 whichv Al o5 yielding Spririg my Patent No. 1,433,873 dated October 31" the event of the clogging of blanks in tliemagazine, tending to resist' the movement f feed s1ide.94, thefrictional lonne'ction be' tween the sprocket 3 and shaf avoiding breakageof'parts', but under nor- Amalconditions this fr1et`iona1 connection is strong enough to operate the feed slide.v The.\hoppe or magazine H comprises a-A 1 yields, thus floor formed y the shelfor table 63 secured to the main frame of the machine,- said iloo bemgfmade with `ways.' in `which thefeed slide 94 is mounted'eand with v.a slot -97 through whiehthe dog` 96 projeetsnpwardlyf. I to' engage the soles or the like.: i' .The maga-f zine-also comprises two upstanding endwalls l 4 secured a pair-l of opstanding .side walls or in a position on the shelf 63 guides 105fand 106. rlhe end wall=104 is fastened in a fixed position by screws 107 (Fig. 3) which secure it to the frame'of the 'machine, while the end wall 103 is fastened with provision for adjustment toward and from the end wall 104, said bolt extending through a slot 109 provided in shelf63. TheA side guides 105 and 106 on wall 103 (Fig. 1)

" are provided withangular arms having enga are provided with ta ped, holes near'their ends, the tapped ho e of one arm having a right-handthread--'.r

and the tapped hole of the other Varr'n having .a left hand thread. Through the holes otv these two armsl extends a screw shaft 110 having appropriately threaded end portions gino' the threaded holes of the. arms;

lThe threaded shaft 110 has .a bearing in a bracket v111 secured to' the outer side ofthe "end wall 103, and near wall 104 are also provided with laterally. eX-

each provided near its tendingangular arms, extremity with a threaded hole, the hole-of one arm being tapped with 'a left-hand'thread and the hole of the other arm being tapped with a rightfhan-d hread, Through the/holes' of the two arms extends' a screw shaft 115; whose oppositeV end portions 'are appropriately formed Awith .right Vand left-hand threads,A respectively. 'Near its middle the screw'shaft 115 has a bearing in 'a bracket 116 secured to thevouter side of end wall r104; this bracket is'formedwith, aislot occupied by alatch 117, said latch engaging one of a as willfbe clear, said series of annular grooves 118 provided upony the screwshaft 115 to hold the latter against endwise movement. The latch 117 ispivoted at 119' upon a'lug wall 104 'and is. acted upon by a spring 120 whichV holds the latch in 'engagement with lthe screw' shaft. Screw shaft 115 is pro' vided at one end with'a hand wheel 121-, and

shaft is free to be i'o. tated manually but can not normally be moved endwise because of the engagementl of the latch 117 vwith one "of the grooves. Rotation of the screw shaft, 115 adjusts the side walls 105 and 106 'toward and from each other, and by disengaging the latch 117 fromthe screw shaft the latter can be moved en wise with relation t o the fixed end wall 10i carrying its two side walls bodily with it.

spect to the center by a. bou 10s proj ecting`- from end v'l-is a, guide tothe the side walls or guides laterally with rehave provided a pointer or iinger122 loosely mountedupon screw shaft 115 between two pins123 and cooperating with an' index or (scale 124 on end wall 104.

'lhe above-described adjustments make itpossible to adapt'the magazine to differentsized blanks and to the positioning' of soles and'other crookedfblanks for proper prese entation to the detecting rolls. 4The magazine is not herein claimed as it forms part of the subject matter claimed in another 'application.

operator in positioning line of the machine, yI

The' operation of the machine is as fol- A lows:

j Assuming that there is al supply of soles or other blanks stacked in the magazine H, and t at the main driving shaft 1 is rotating,in order to start the feeding in of the first blanktlie operatorlifts the push rod 8,7, by lifting arm 57, and allows it to drop back -thereby actuating the clutch controlling levervSfZ to permit the clutch member 72 to engage the continuously rotating clutch member 78. This causes the lshaft 74 to make one complete revolution and stop, as already eXplained. The single revolution of shaft 74 causes one complete reciprocation-of d the feed slide 94 lthrough the arm 92' and link 98. 'As the feed slide moves forward the dog 96 engages the rear end of the lowermost blank in the stackjand carries the blank toward the detecting rolls. During the^first part of this forward movement the trip 64 is through l that the 64 to the detecting rolls 2 and 17. Thereupon the trip 64 immediately fallsaud rests on the top of the blank as soon vast-he member 97 inoves out of engagement with lever 98, The same action which lifts trip 64 just before the blank enters the detecting rolls, alsoiwithdraws pawl 50 from ratchet wheel48', by the actuation of lever 66, bell crank 68 -xand link lifted bythe link 934, acting (Fig. 5); it is also free 'to turn tothe lright ver 98, link and arom 101, 'so lank may' pass underneath trip 70. `The pointer 45 is now free to turn to the left toward zero 1 5 l so longas'there' isfnoblank under trip roll 60 and the latter rests in the rgroove in the v Awork bed, because inthat position it acts through arm 57, rock shaft 56 and arm 55 to hold' pawl 49 out' of -engagement `with its 'ratchet 47.

When the blank enters between the detectingrolls 2 and 17, the lower roll 17 downwardly against the tension 'of sp1-mg 25 and `responds t'o variations' in thickness of theblank. as the blank progresses. .The

movements of the cator through arms lower detecting roll 17' are 'transmitted to pointer 45 ofthe' visual ind'r- 18,VA rods 26, crossbar 30,'- arms 33, rock shaft 34,v arm 35, rod 36 and segments 41, 43. None of the ,measurements l n moves a graded blank from the machine to ever, will be preserved until the blank has' reached and lifted the trip roller60, be-v r. cause until that time both pawls 50 and 49v are disengaged and the pointer 45 is free to as determined by the. detecting rolls, how- -turn in either direction. As soonas the 4 blank passes under the trip roller 60, the lifting of roller 60 acts .through arm 57,

. o rock shaft 56, and varm 55 to let pawl 49 Iinto engagement vwith ratchet 47. The pointer is now locked against moving tothe right in response to any detector measurements of greater thickness but is free to, move tothe left' toindicate any thinner spots encountered by the detector.

Just before the blank passes 'completely through the detecting rolls, the trip- 64 drops off therear or following end of the blank..

The drop of trip 64 causes'the other pawl 50 to engage itsr'atchet 48, acting through llever 66, bell crank 68 and link 70. .The

pointer 45 is now locked against movement in f either direction and indicates the measurement in irons of the thinnest detected spot of the blank. The operator reads the indicated grade and then withdraws the blank by'handjfrom the machine and bin or receptacle. 30 As soon as the blank is removed from undert-rip roller 60the latte falls and then,

andfnotuntil then, pawl'49' is disengaged,

places it in its proper through arm 57 and rock vshaft 56, andatthe same time another reciprocation of the 85 feed mechanism is automatically started,

through rock shaft 56, 'arm 90 and push bar4 87,v and the cycle of operations is repeated with relation to the neXt succeedinglblank. `fThus all that the operator is required to do is to keep the feed magazine suppliedv with blanks and to sort or otherwise 'dispose of `the measured blanks according to theirindicated grades.' The mere removal of a graded blank from the machine auto- 45 matically causes a new: blank to `be fed into the machine and graded.

lIclaim: 1 ,i A

l. A grading machine comprising detect ing means, grading mechanism, 'means whereby the grading mechanism` is responsive `to the detecting means, feeding mecha-- nism for feeding blanks one at a time to the detectlng means, and mechanism operated automatically when the operator removes a 55 vlgraded blank from the machineyto actuate the feeding mechanism to feed another blank' into the machine.

- v2. A grading machine comprising detecting means,` grading mechanism, means whereby the, grading lmechanism is respon'- sive to .the detecting means, a magazine for holding-astack of Yblanks tobe graded, nor- Inally idle ,feeding mechanisml for feeding vblanksone at a time ,from the magazine to 65 ing means, a

the detectingmeans, and 4mechanism open-l ing means,

ated automatically when the' operator; re-v actuate' the feeding mechanism to transfer another blank from the magazine to t'hedetecting means.-

L 3. A grading-'machine comprising detect-'I ing-means, agrade indicator, means whereengage a blank atvthe delivery side of the` by the. grade indicatoryis responsive to detecting means, and mechanism operated by y said trip upon the removal of the blank from engagement'therewith, to actuate the p feeding mechanism to` feed another blank into the machine. p

4. Avgrading machine comprising detectofrade indicator, means whereby the grade indicator is responsive to the detecting means, a lock for said indicator, nor

mall

idle feeding mechanisn forfeeding 'Y blav s one at a time tothe detecting means,

a -trip 'for controlling said 'lock adapted to detecting means, and mechanism oper-ated by said trip upon' the removal of the blank lfrom engagement therewith, to unlocksaid lock and toactuate the feeding mechanism to feed another blank into the machine.

5. A grading machine comprising detect- -ing means, agrade indicator, means whereby the grade indicator Ais responsive to the detecting means, normally idle feeding mechanism for feeding blank one at a time to the.

detecting means, a continuously driven shaft,

a normally disconnected clutch/between 'said .shaft and'said feeding mechanism, `a trip adapted to engage a blank at the delivery side ofthe detecting means, and mechanism operated by said trip upon the removal of the blank from engagement therewith, to

`connect said clutch and thereby actuate the feeding mechanism to feed another blank into the machine.

6. A grading machine comprising detecting means, a grade indicator, means whereby A therewith, to connect said clutch and thereby yreciprocate said `'feed slide to feed another blank into thefmachina and means for automatlcally disconnecting said clutchat the completlon of one reciprocationof' the feed 7 A grading', machine comprising 'detectgrading mechanism, means tim engage a blank at the ldelivery side of the!I p 15 ing rolls, a gradeindicator, mechanism feed slide. c

' 00 ment therewith to ldisengage said locking a continuously driven shaft, a normally' disv J5 A shaft and feed slide, ai camv arm normally pointer, means through-wliich the detecting 11e aeeaesr whereby the grading mechanism is responmember splined on said shaft, a spring urgsive to the detecting means, means for locking the splined clutch member toward the inc the grading mechanism in accordance other clutch member, a l'cam arm normally with the thinnest detected spot of the blank holding the splined clutch member discon- 5 operated upon, feeding mechanism for fee'd'- nected from the other clutch. member, a 70 ing blanks one at a time to the detecting push bar. actuated bythe drop of the trip A means, a trip adapted to engage a blank .at when the blank is removed from underneath the delivery side of the detecting means, the trip, to disengage the cam arm from the and mechanisms operated by said trip upon splined clutch member and permit the clutch tlie'removal of the vblank from engagement members to engage and thereby reciprocate therewith, to disenga e said locking means .the feed slide, and means for automatically and to actuate the fee ing mechanism to feed disconnecting said clutch members and reanother blank into the machine. storing said cam arm to normal position at 8..A grading machine comprising detc'ctthe completion of one reciprocation of the 80 through which the detecting rolls adjust tlie 11. A grading machine of the kind hav-l indicator in accordance with the thinnest deing a detector, grading mechanism, means tected spot of the blank operated upon, said whereby the grading mechanism is respon- A mechanism including a locking pawl, a trip. sive to the detector and a trip adapted to adapted to engage a blank at thel delivery reston thc blank at the delivery side .of the' S5 side of vthe detecting vrolls for controlling detector and adapted while holdup by the said lock-ingpawl, a magazine for holding vblank to preserve in tliegrading mechanism a stack ofblanks to be graded, a ieciprocatthe measurement of the thinnest detected ing feed slide to transfer blanks Aone at a, spot of the blankfcombined with means to time from the magazine' to the detecting lock the grading mechanism in its adjusted-.90 rolls, a continuously driven shaft, a normally' position at the end of the detecting opera-- disconnected clutch between said shaft and tion averticaliy movabletrip in thepath of feed slide,` mechanisms operated by said trip the blank at the entrance side of the detector upon the removal of the blank from engageto control the lock, a reciprocating feed'slidc,

pawl` and to connectI said clutch and thereby connected clutch between said shaft and feed reciprocate said feed slide to feed another slide, mechanism operated by the trip at the blank into the machine, and means for autodelivery side of the detector, when the blank matically disconnecting said clutch at the is removed from under the trip to connect completion of one reciprocation of the feed said clutch and thereby reciprocate the feed -100 slide. slide to Afeed another blank into the machine, 9. A grading machine of the kind having and means actuatedby the feeding operation detecting means,v rading mechanism, means to raise the trip at the entrance side of the whereby the gra ing mechanism is respon- 'detector as theblank approaches the' dctec- Y 40 sive tothe detecting means and a pawl-opertor and again to drop it on top of the ad- 105 ating tri in the path of the blank at the devva-ncing blank, seid trip adapted to lock its livery si e of the, detecting means, combined? lock when it drops off the end of the blank. with a' reciprocating 'feed slide, a continu- 12. In a grading machine of the 'class deously driven shaft, a clutch between said scribed, detecting rolls, a grade' indicating yholding said clutch disconnected, .a push bar rolls-settlie pointer in accordance `with the /actuated'by said trip adapted to swing the thinnest spotrof the blank as determined by cam so as 'to permit the clutch to connect the detecting rolls, 'two locks, .one tov prethe continuously driven' shaft and theA feed vent the turning of the pointer in one direcslide to reciprocate the'latter, and means for tion and the other to preventtlie'turniiig of 115 automatically disconnecting the clutch and 'thepointer'in the other direction, atrip inrestoring the ca in arm to normal position the path of the blank at theV entrance side of at `the completion of one r'eciprocationof the. vthe detectin rolls for controlling one of said feed slide.. locks and adapted to hold'its lo'ck disen- 5a' 10. A grading machine of the kind hai/"ing gag'ed' while the trip rests jon the blank, a 12o detecting means, grading mechanism, means trip in the path of the blank at the delivery whereby the grading mechanismis responside of thedetecting rollsl for controlling 'the sive to the detecting means and a pawl-operother lock. and adapted to hold its lock en- A l ating trip adapted to rest on the blank at the gaged while the trip Tests on the blank, 6o delivery sideof the detecting means, comreciprocating feed s lide,ineans controlled by 125 v binedwith al reciprocating feed slide, a shaft the trip atthe delivery side offthe detect- .normally atrest having a crank arm and a ing rolls for operating the feed slide when link connecting the' crank arm-to the' feed Lthe blank is. removed from under said tr'p, f slide, 'a continuously rotating clutchimemmeans actuated by the feeding' operation to ber loose Aon said shaft, an opposed clutch 'raise the" trip at the entrance side of the de iao I the a adapted to lock its lock when it-dropsI oi the 'end of the blank.

of 'the ower means.

- means for det'ectin tcctin .rollsfand then to drop it on' top.l of vancing blank, said last-named trip A13. a machine of the class described, in combination, a reciprocating feed slide for feeding blanks' one by one into the machine, a klrive shaft, actuating connections between said drive shaft and the feed slide including afriction element adapted positively to actuate the feed slideduring normal operation of the. machine-but to slip in the -event of the clogging 'of the feed'slide, a driving member loose on said shaft, power means for continuously rotating said driving member, and manually operated meansv for connecting and disconnecting said driving member and drive shaft, whereby the shaft may be continuously driven by the power means or disconnected from and turned independently t ,sive to the detectmg means, a lock for ysaid 14. n amachine of the class described,

area being' measured, a grade indicator,

means whereby the grade indicator is recatorand 'of the feeding in of another blank may be determined wholly bythe operator.v `15 A grading machine comprising detect-` the grade of a blank. 'with reference' to t e thinnest spot of the ...whereby theA grading mechanism is responsfiv'e ito the detecting means, a lock for saidv grading' mechanism, a lever arm and a trip adjustably mounted thereon for controlling said lock, the trip being adapted to engage ablank at the delivery side of the detecting means,'and a work support over which the blanks move at the delivery side of the detecting means, said work support having a -\groove or channel gradually increasing in ldepth in the direction of travel of the work in which said adjustable trip restsfwhereby a`blank movingover said work support and under. said tri will'impart to the lever arm 1 substantially t e same angular movement ir- 'resp'ective of the position'of adjustment of the tri on the lever arm.

16. grading machine comprising detecting means,l gradingv mechanism,

whereby the grading mechanism is respon- Igrading mechanism, a lever arm and a tri-p said lock, the trip being. adapted' to engage a blank at the delivery side of the detecting blanks move at the delivery side of the detecting means, said work support beinginmeaIlS means, and a work support over'which they tecting rolls as a vblank approaches the de--" ,i ngv `means, v grading mechanism, means A65 adjustably mgiunted thereon for controlling clined upwardl in the direction of travel ofthe workv an having a groove or channel in which said adjustable trip rests, the' bot- "tom Loflsaid roove or channel being Ihorizontal, where y a blank moving over said work support and\under said trip will impart to the lever arm substantially the same angular movement .irrespective of the position of; adjustment of the-trip 'on the lever arm. I f,

16th day of March, 1927.

shire, this LEANDER A. COGSWELL.

Signed by me at Manchester, New Hamp- Y 

